Male Goose attacking Ducks

[Suzyhomestead]

I had a pair of geese and the female goose ( and quite a few ducks) was killed last year by a fishercat. I now have just the 3 year old male and 8 ducks left. My male goose was raised with 5 of the ducks and is very kind and watchful of them.One of our ducks raised 3 ducking this summer that were separated for the first 2 months.We kept them in the same area, just a fence in-between. When we fist introduced them the goose did try to attach them. We scolded him and eventually he stopped. Now after months of getting along, our male goose is brutally attacking the younger ducks. He pecks here eyes, beaks and has removed almost all the feathers on their back. I keep trying to separate them but the goose has trampled the fence to get at the poor ducks. I am seriously contemplating getting rid of the goose. We were planning on getting more ducklings this summer but I am seriously worried the goose would kill them. Do you think it is because he lost his mate and is there anything that can be done?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had a pair of geese and the female goose ( and quite a few ducks) was killed last year by a fishercat. I now have just the 3 year old male and 8 ducks left. My male goose was raised with 5 of the ducks and is very kind and watchful of them.One of our ducks raised 3 ducking this summer that were separated for the first 2 months.We kept them in the same area, just a fence in-between. When we fist introduced them the goose did try to attach them. We scolded him and eventually he stopped. Now after months of getting along, our male goose is brutally attacking the younger ducks. He pecks here eyes, beaks and has removed almost all the feathers on their back. I keep trying to separate them but the goose has trampled the fence to get at the poor ducks. I am seriously contemplating getting rid of the goose. We were planning on getting more ducklings this summer but I am seriously worried the goose would kill them. Do you think it is because he lost his mate and is there anything that can be done?

Unless you can keep your ducks safe he may end up killing them. Geese breeding season is getting started which makes ganders extremely protective of their mates or who ever he has bonded with and he must preceive your ducks as a threat.I'd either rehome the gander or work on getting a better fence up between him and the young ducks.

 

[Tivona]

. Ganders can be crazy protective. For whatever reason it sounds like the goose feels protective towards the older ducks but that the young ones are a danger towards his flock. It would be hard to retrain him, especially during mating season. Sorry I don't have any good answers. I agree with Lydia. Either re-homing or much better fencing is the only real choices.